For a second, Sebastian only stared at her, a puzzled look on his face. Just when she was starting to regret her honesty-- what guy liked thinking a girl was interested in kissing him because of a competition?-- he threw back his head and laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

He laughed so hard and long that she stiffened, a little offended. But he reached for her hand and finally managed to get himself under control. "You Americans ... always competing. Always wanting to have more, more, more. Don't you realize that the best things in lif are about quality, not quantity?"

She nearly swallowed her tongue at the sizzle in his eyes, in his voice, and for the first time since this whole wild adventure had begun, Piper couldn't help wondering if he was right. "What's wrong with both?" she asked softly.

"Nothing But don't you know, just like in art, you ned to master one technique before you move on to the next?" He entwined his long, calloused fingers with her own and Piper couldn't believe how right it felt to be standing there, letting him hold her hand.

"So tell me, Piper," Sebastian said after a moment. "If I kiss you right now, will that be enough? Or will you kiss me back and then go to a club and kiss some other guy tomorrow?"

She couldn't breate, couldn't think. Could brely stand upright as heat streaked along ever nerve ending she had. "We could-- we could try it." Was that really her voice, that high-pitched squeak that practically broke the sound barrier?

"Oh, cherie, we're going to do a lot more than try." His hands trembled a little as they cupped her face, which surprised her even as it made her intensely happy. And then he kissed her and it was more amazing, more delicious, more real than any and every kiss that had come before it.